Day 27: The Lamp

Natsu and Happy stared at the fissure from a safe distance. The heat was becoming unbearable as they traveled past dune after dune, but they finally reached it. The Breakage of Heaven and Hell. That was the name of the famous landmark they were standing in front of. The name suit it well, the two different paths of geographical features made sure its title really lived up to its name.

From where they stood it was clear to even a blind eye they were in the side of Hell. With the red sands and scorching heat with nowhere to take cover, Hell was the only thing appropriate for it. Hell stretched beyond the fissure and back, but below it was a gorge. A midnight blue strip of water waited for the unfortunate soul who didn't make the jump across the rock, if they survived the landing without piercing any flesh against the sharp walls of the ravine first.

But something as feeble as that was nothing to what the infamous Salamander and his faithful companion could handle. He nodded to Happy who only sprung up into the air and unfolded his hidden wings. "Lets go!"

"Aye!"

And they were off like a sheet of paper cruising on the back of the wind. The only difference between them being there was no wind in the desert and Natsu was beyond comparison to a sheet of flimsy paper. There was nothing below them to support them if they were to fall and nothing above to grab on, it was them and the air. Then they were falling, Happy was heading straight down and Natsu let out a cry of joy as the wind struck his face and his eyes grew watery.

Happy was laughing and tightened his grip on Natsu's vest as he made a sharp turn past a protruding rock and then another until they reached the end of the drop. He lowered just enough for Natsu's legs to graze the water, he skidded against it, splashing the water to his right then his left.

"Alright, Happy. Just a little further and then a right, we should-"

"Ah, Natsu..."

"Yeah?"

They were crashing down, Natsu face first and Happy clipped onto his back, into the water. "I ran out of magic," he said when they emerged out from under the blue liquid. Natsu just laughed and pulled the blue cat over his head, turning to swim towards the strip of land they were heading for. "Don't worry, I can manage the rest of the way. You did great!"

"Aye..." he mumbled and laid his head against the roof of Natsu's forehead.

The strip of rocky land submerged beneath them before they even realized the water was gone. It curved with different types of unique and alien colored stones and sizes varying from goose-bump to some as big as Natsu. He crawled on to his back and let his chest heave the cool air the water was providing. "We made it," he said out of breath. "We made it, Happy."

Happy mumbled something in his sleep. Natsu wiped the water off his face and shook it out of his pink hair, lifting Happy in one arm he made his way deeper into the holds of the rock land peppered with green flecks of moss. He raised his arm and lifted Happy back onto his head before pulling out a worn map from his bag, "It's gotta be here somewhere." He raised it to the sun and one of it's rays burned through it, creating a path that hadn't been there before.

As if he were expecting this to happen, Natsu followed it nonchalantly, his feet crunching against the pebbles.

They reached the cave rather quickly, though that was expected since the strip of land was literally nothing more than its name. So he trudged along, Happy soundlessly asleep after the long journey they had pulled through.

The Dragon Slayer half expected to find what he was looking for in broad daylight. Not in literal since light was one thing he didn't have to worry about in the dark holds of the inner caving walls and high ceiling. His senses were heightened as he maneuvered through the cave with nothing but the flame burning at his fist to guide him.

Then he stumbled upon it. Standing there with no real purpose other than taking up space.

A lamp.

A golden lamp with a bulged middle that extended to a narrow and refined point that curved all the way to the bottom.

"That's it?" Natsu's voice echoed against the walls. He lowered his hand over to the map, scanning it to make sure he had taken the right path. "That's all I came here for?!"

Happy shifted on top of his head, "are we back at the gui- WHY IS IT SO DARK?"

"No, but I found what we're looking for," he pointed to the lonely lamp. "That little piece of trash."

"Do you think it's real gold?"

"I don't know, I don't really care. I thought it was going to be this grandeur treasure or maybe an epic secret... instead we get a lamp."

"Still, lets check it out!" Happy was skipping towards the object before Natsu could refuse and he was back and handing it towards Natsu's already too full hands before he could say anything else.

"What do I do with it?" he asked shaking it and then tipping it to see if it spilled anything. "It looks like a gravy bowl." His stomach growled in agreement.

"A gravy bowl... Why do I feel like that means something?" Happy asked as he pondered at the alien lamp.

Natsu tried pulling off the lid but it was sealed shut, when he set it down to smash it open Happy jumped in front of the two. "Wait!" he cried. "I know what it is! It's a-a-a-"

"A what? Happy, spit it out."

Then the little blue cat's eyes were filling to the brink with tears as he turned his back to him. "Well now I won't tell you."

Natsu bit down a hiss and knelt to Happy's height. "I'm sorry, now tell me what it is."

As if nothing happened, Happy jumped up. "A lava lamp!" His grin faltered and he rubbed his head. "No that's not it..."

"A genie lamp!"

Happy sprung up, his smile stretching across his face. "That's it!"

Natsu asked what to do next with the knowledge they acquired and Happy made a gesture to rub it, so he did. It's cool sheen of metal made it that much simpler to glide his hands across its surface. He repeated the motion six times and then continued as yellow smoke emerged from the spout of the lamp. It danced in an unorthodox manner, bending and circling around invisible railings until it reached the damp ceiling.

Natsu dropped the lamp the second a girl started forming from the smoke and became tangible. Happy had leaped in his arms and they both cried in horror as she finished her morphing.

The girl wasn't a sight that made you turn away, if anything she was the complete opposite. Natsu noted she didn't give off the aura of a bloodthirsty warrior like Erza, or a innocent and clean presence like Wendy, but somehow a combination of both. Her hair was the color of the lamp, if not two tones lighter and if it weren't for the damp and dark cave, it'd shine just as bright as the flame Natsu was holding on his hand.

Her body concaved where it had to and added volume where it was needed. Her eyes were round, almost doll-like and brown. An insignificant brown that didn't pry for much attention but the shape of her eyes demanded it.

And they were peering at the two screaming in terror. "I'm not going to bite your head off."

The screaming continued, louder after her lips opened and voice came out. The girl out of the lamp only sighed and snapped her fingers, zipping their mouths shut. "There then," she said, a sly smile on her lips. "That's better."

Both cat and human were trembling down to their last bones. If the girl had noticed, she sure didn't make a note about it. "I am named Lucy," her voice droned like she was reading something from a cheap script. "I hail from the blahblahblah, somethingsomethingsomething. Okay I'm a genie, alright?" She stared at her perfectly manicured hands and then at the two boys. "If I unzip your mouths will you stop screaming?"

They nodded obediently and she lifted her finger, unsealing their lips.

"WE GET THREE WISHES," Happy said too urgently. He was hopping around.

"Yes..."

"I want fish. Tons and tons of fish!" he drooled.

"Are you sure you want to waste your first wish on-"

"FISH!" he demanded.

Lucy only sighed and pointed her chin outside the cave. "There go for it, blue cat." And Happy was gone, his tail whipping around as he darted through the cave faster than he had ever moved.

All they heard from outside was a joyous cry.

Natsu had only been starring at the girl, his eyes filled with question and doubt. "What?" Lucy asked apathetically. "Think I'm just kidding? Give me a wish, go on and lay it on me and you got it, Salamander."

Natsu stiffened at his tittle. "How do you know my name?"

She waved a hand like it wasn't of importance. "I think we both know the question you have tainted on your lips, the one wish you want. So go on, ask for it."

But Natsu just shook his head slowly and kept his eyes leveled with the foreign girl. "You don't know anything about me."

Lucy's eyes softened and Natsu thought for a moment that he saw an unmasked sadness behind them. It was gone before he could look again. "But I do..." she whispered too low to hear.

He asked her to repeat what she said but Lucy only shook her head, to Natsu's annoyance.

She smiled at him and realization soon hit after that. "We've met before," he said under his breath. "I don't know where, or when, but I've felt that smile."

Pressed lips was the only response he got back and then a slow nod.

"When?" he asked too eagerly, he stepped back. "When have I met you?"

"Long before your time, you wouldn't remember. It'd be dangerous if you did."

"Did you know Igneel?" He didn't know why he was asking the question and less expected her to answer with a yes. But that was precisely the answer he got.

"I know Igneel."

Another step back and he tripped over a rock, falling on his back. Lucy made a movement to go to him but was held back by the clutches of her threshold. "I can't say anymore. I'm sorry."

"I still have two wishes," he called. "You said I could have anything."

"I want you to take me where I met you and then I want to see Igneel."

Author's Note: Ah... yeah, sorry for kinda just ending it there. This was something I just threw up a wild back and it was just sitting on my computer, so why not? Maybe in the future if I can think about a solid plot I'll write more!